Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus sign book deal

Three Cleveland women held captive for a decade are finally home.More >>

Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry have signed a book deal to tell their story.

The deal was signed with Mary Jordan, who is a Pultizer Prize winner and a former Clevelander.

Gina, Amanda, and Michelle Knight were kidnapped, held captive, and sexually abused by Arial Castro in his Seymour Avenue house for over a decade before they were rescued on May 6.

Castro was sentenced on August 1 to live in prison, plus 1,000 years. He hanged himself while in prison back in September.

Below is a statement from James R. Wooley, Jones Day, who represents Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus:

Many have told, and continue to tell, this story in ways that are both inaccurate and beyond the control of these young women. Our clients have a strong desire for privacy, but it is a reality that confronts them every day. Gina, Amanda and their families have decided to take control and are now interested in telling the story of what happened to them.

How to accomplish this is beyond us, the team of pro bono lawyers in Cleveland. We sought the advice of Mary Jordan. Mary grew up on the West Side of Cleveland. She is a Pulitzer prize winning writer from the Washington Post who writes, among other things, about strong women. But most importantly, Mary is someone I have known for 25 years. Her brother Pat was my best friend. She is a woman of great integrity and character. Mary, along with her husband and Washington Post colleague Kevin Sullivan, will collaborate with Gina and Amanda to help them write this book. Mary did not seek me out or ask to be involved. I went to her for help, knowing I could trust her, which meant everything to me.

Mary introduced us to her friend Robert Barnett who has helped presidents, world leaders and public figures caught in difficult circumstances like Amanda Knox tell their stories. One thing led to another and now Gina, Amanda and their families want to begin the process of telling this remarkable story - a story, above all else, about human dignity and human survival. They will be in control, assisted by Mary Jordan, Kevin Sullivan and Robert Barnett, people of great experience and integrity who will make sure this process is carried out in the right way.